What Lies Ahead
by Wiggles-n-stuff
Summary: One-Shot. The Maid of Windemere, enemy of the House of Ballads, curse of their greatest heroes, the most dangerous of Ballads, and the woman I saved. I reflect on my choice and what led me to sparing her. Was it the right one after all? I believe so.


**What Lies Ahead**

**By Wiggles-n-stuff**

The lush forest surrounding me only spurs me on. My journey reaching its end, but not the end most will remember me for. Though a fair share of folk there certainly do remember me, and have made it abundantly clear I'm not their favorite person. Why am I returning then? Simple, a promise I made to a dear woman, and responsibility deeply rooted in guilt. Both that have everything and nothing at all to do with each other.

I see the spectacularly ornate and impossibly intricate bridge in the distance. The last barrier until I must face my first realm changing choice. I weighed centuries of tradition, lore song, and culture against mine own judgment. It was neither my place nor my right to interfere, yet through a series of events I was drawn into an age old conflict, one I had the power to alter.

It was this adventure where I learned of the elven culture, and their history of repeating great feats in inherited roles through Ballads. Nearly each and every one of the Summer and Winter Court nobility owed their titles to the heroes of their pasts. They were simple normal lives suddenly enveloped in their ancestors feats, and driven to repeat them.

Most find this as some whimsical generational retelling of cultural history and tribute to days past. I was one of them in the beginning too. My first venture into their Ballads had me assisting the Summer Court heroes in tales such as The Two Knights and a Troll. I would help them complete their trials...

However as the Ballads culminated into their predestined end, I found myself questioning the changes occurring. Changes and manipulations brought on by one whom simply wanted their freedom from such a curse, the penultimate enemy of the Court, the Maid of Windemere. Her words struck me like a hammer on iron. Through the workings of distant evils now vanquished, she was given a grip on her own destiny. A destiny she desperately wished to change, even if she continued with her name sake's lineage tale. She wanted to show she could break these bound traditions, if anything else to free herself from the end of her Ballad.

Perhaps it was her time in the role of the Maid, or maybe the grand force that gave her her title, I don't know. Yet she continued to play the Ballad until it's end, only her drive to survive and the evil influence backing her bending the tale to her whims. I can not tell for sure, but I do want to know. Though it shall not change my opinion of her. She wanted to be free, to take life into her own hands. I resonated with her desires, and only wished to help.

However the game she played, it drove me to combat her for those who's lives she took and forced me to take. She hadn't expected my strength nor my power to overcome her own, but she certainly resisted. Throughout the battle, the further I weakened her, the more she expressed her greatest wish, freedom from her fate. She had already broken her Ballad, won, but the fear that it would repeat itself persisted. My interference and contest drawing up that fear like a deep well.

The final blow drew near, holding her weakened body over a construct of Fate's power. She begged me to stop, to let her live, to forgive her. When she got no response, she simply gave into the ending of the Maid's story. Tears rolled down her face, her forlorn yet beautiful face. I reared her back and she accepted her demise. It was her last words to which all the rage and anger I had towards her vanished. Taken away like the sun takes away the morning mist.

"It truly is pointless to defy the fate that was lain for me."

My chest held my breath in, mine heart skipping a beat. Everything done, all I was pulled into, was for the singular hope to change her fate. Ask any Fateweaver and they'll relay the same, but... but I was proof that one could take a separate path, choose which destiny they wished. I could not end her life, I was not going to end her life.

I let the construct run it's course unused. Slowly and carefully I let the Maid down. A wonderment I haven't seen since upon her beautiful pale violet face. Now given the chance I took my time in observing the powerful sorceress's features. Her pointed ears fallen down, something I am not ashamed I found adorable. Having lost the ability to stand, her brush with death robbing such easy movement, she fell to her hindquarters on the castle floor. Her staff misplaced somewhere in the room. As defenseless and shocked as a kitten she looked into my eyes, and mine hers.

Silent questions swam in those deep violet pools of eyes. Questions I wanted to answer, yet had no words to give. The helpless woman started when I bent forward and offered my hand. Nothing passed between aside time. It must have been such a moment, the brink of destruction and back not more than moments away. I know now how that feels, and it makes me reflect on the destinies I've altered. After an eternity of soul searching spanning mere seconds, she unhurriedly took my hand. Before allowing me to pick her up, she found her words again.

"Why?"

Being gentle with the delicate blue haired elven woman, I assisted her up. I'm unsure how I must have looked to her. Guilty comes to mind, after all I nearly ended her life. I looked away from her inquisitive face, but answered none the less.

"One's fate isn't set. You and I are proof of this. The atrocities we have committed in defiance of such universal designs are ours and ours alone. Yet... I do not wish to see your choices forever predetermined. I was given a chance to change Fate, shouldn't you?"

I'm no poet, I cannot write my words into a book, but I had to give her a reason. The very next moment I spoke this she wrapped her arms around me, granting me our very first tender embrace. I noticed how small she was compared, yet how wonderful she felt against me. Hesitating, I slowly returned the affection, expecting a knife to the back

"Thank you, my love. Forever more I am yours."

It was only when I felt my tunic beginning to dampen that I realized the sincerity. The Maid of Windemere was crying against me. The weight of consequence my actions would bring waylayed by the realization that I gave someone their freedom of choice and life back. I knew deep down that what I did was topple a whole culture, but at that moment I didn't care. Fate should always be in the hands of the person, not the other way round. A solemn smile grew on me, and a carefully returned embrace.

The Maid loosed her pained relief on me for a while, of which I did nothing to stop her. She was free, just as I, and that must have been something she scarcely believed in herself. I knew my choice to be right, ramifications be damned. At the time that was what I thought, yet reality eventually would come to pass judgment.

Before then the Maid and myself took our time returning to the Court of Enchantments. We talked of inconsequential things, musings I'm sure the Maid would never have the chance to speak of. She even bestowed upon me her true name. It was a welcome change to all the fighting and death I was subject to up till then. She held onto me as if I was her only lifeline, and I found myself enjoying her touch. A kindred spirit was found this day, one I'd almost lay to rest myself.

The purpose of the Maid was to rule the House with the one she believed she loved, Wencen the King of the Court of Enchantments. With the ruling body all but destroyed, mostly by mine own hand at that, I felt a responsibility to the elven court. I knew nothing of ruling, and scarcely more of the culture I'd butchered. I expected our welcome to be as cold as winter. I was asked to save their graces by them. Instead they fell by my hand, and now I returned with the Maid of Windemere holding that same hand.

With a hefty dose of fear in that cold reception, the woman I'd saved resumed her act. She took the kingdom for her and with surprise I. A winter fae, the arch enemy of their Ballads, assumed royalty and named me her King. I had little words to express how I felt then. Aghast, engrossed, fearful, empowered, but most of all unsure. Could our rule end in anything but bloodshed? My Queen assured me we could, she had no ill intentions for her cousin kind. She only wished to enjoy the freedom I gave her. Even admitting to me she felt the same guilt and responsibility I held toward their late rulers and the populace itself.

Her coronation was met with terror and hate. I looked to her for comfort, the weight of guilt in my choice bearing down upon me. She simply smiled the kind smile I had grown to enjoy over our return. Her declaration to the people was simple, she was to rule until she meet her end or she deemed her rule over. Her speech continued onto how she only wanted to rule fairly in this newly started era of uncertainty. Disbelief rolled down the courtroom as we left the throne for our new chambers.

A part of me, the cautious worldly part, saw fit to remind me that I could die by her hands still. She could be whispering sweet nothings to ease my suspicions. When we were finally alone in our chambers that nagging was dashed asunder. She dropped her royal persona, held herself tight, then turned and fell onto me. Instinct had me catch her, but my heart drove me to hold her. My Queen was trembling like a leaf, scared for what she saw would happen.

They had begrudgingly accepted her as the new ruler because they didn't know what else to do. Surely this fear of the unknown would pass, and then she would fall prey to those who want her from the throne. It scared her greatly. She relay this to me through tears, as we sat on the bed. I couldn't think of much to say, as I had the same doubts. My journey would take me away soon, the needs of the many outweighing these precious few. That brought on a whole other hornet's nest of worry for the new Queen. Without my protection could she survive what came at her. She was a dangerous sorceress, that was abundantly clear, but there are so many ways to end a life without a blade or conflict.

I asked her why she couldn't accompany me on my journey.

"Because I owe my kin so much. I've taken from them everything they knew, and worse used you to do it. I'm so sorry my love, but... I will not abandon them, even if it means my life threatened."

I held her closer. The only thing left I could give her were my musings of courage and my hopes to return to her quickly. This woman now held a large place in my heart. To want her fate changed, and despite the evil used to accomplish such a task, she held the needs of those she wronged before her own. All she asked was my speedy completion to be with her. I dare say I fell for the Maid then and there.

I'm on the bridge now, looking out over the Court of Enchantments. It is teeming with life, busy and prosperous. On my mission, whenever I could, I asked for news about my Queen and her people. Little was reported, but I didn't hear of any coups or strife since I left the west. With grim determination I trudged forth into the heart of darkness, hoping to end things once and for all.

I take my first step into the kingdom my Queen rules. Every tentative step I look about me, watching, gauging those around me. The folk of the House watch me, curiosity and excitement adorning their faces. I've had many eyes upon me many times in my travels. This however, with no mission or guidance behind my motives, it is unnerving.

Whispers abound now, only adding to my caution. Then everything is silenced when the large doors of the Court open. My eyes light up and meet those of my beloved. She smiles happily at me and hurries down the stairs. I drop my gear and speed my own movement.

She is in my arms now and again. She is safe, she is alive, she is with me again. My Queen...

My Magwyr.

**- END -**

**A/N:** Yo all. This was just an idea I had to write down. This is my first one shot, and about a game I really enjoyed and felt was very under the radar. The Maid of Windemere was by far the hardest choice I had in the game. I felt for her plight, but what she put me through actually made me set the controller down and think on it. Anyways here is my interpretation of that event. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.

~Wiggles


End file.
